QUICK CASH LED TO LENGTHY PRISON SENTENCE FOR LOW-LEVEL DEALER

Alia Pierini started selling drugs at age 12 or 13 -- an easy way to
make money.

She never imagined the quick cash would lead to a lengthy prison term
and separation from her toddler son.

Now 21, Pierini was convicted last year of some brutal assaults in
Prince George, done to collect drug debts from crack addicts she was supplying.

Police alleged, and the court found, that Pierini and co-accused
Scott Payne were part of an organized crime group called The Crew, a
puppet club of the notorious Hells Angels. Pierini admits that she
was involved in reprehensible acts of violence and extortion,
including whacking a crack addict who owed her money with a medieval
battle axe.

But she says she was never part of any official "crime group."

"I was shocked pretty much when the police brought that [claim] to my
court case," Pierini said this week in an interview from prison. "I
never once said I was anything. We didn't roll around on Harleys or
wear a jacket or have a tattoo or anything."

After 20 months in jail, she has had time to reflect on the violence
for which she was convicted. A second attack, which was captured on
videotape and played in court, shows her beating another indebted
crackhead and Tasering him as he screams.

"I am not going to deny it. It was pretty brutal," said Pierini, who
is serving a five-year sentence. "Sitting in jail, I have come to
realize that what I was doing was wrong . . . . Growing up, I always
resorted to fighting to solve problems. I never had proper
problem-solving skills."

She said she had no sympathy for the addicts at the time, but just
saw them as people ripping her off when she was desperate to pay the
rent for her and her baby.

"I didn't wake up one morning and say I am going to battle-axe this
guy right? I was at his house and [the axe] was there and I found out
there was money gone and one thing led to another," said Pierini, who
comes across as articulate and intelligent.

Working in the drug trade and getting people to pay up was hard as a
very young woman of slight stature.

"I just though they were taking advantage of me and I had to show
them I was serious," she said. "I couldn't fight people."

Pierini said the idea that someone higher up in organized crime was
influencing the violence is just wrong.

"I just did whatever I wanted to. I didn't have to go back to anybody
and report," she said.

RCMP specialists in organized crime and biker gangs say the big
players rely on younger wannabes to commit acts to intimidate others
in the unofficial underworld chain of command.

"All I know is they made me look a lot bigger and badder than I was.
We were nobodies."

Pierini said she has a nice, supportive extended family, but started
getting into trouble as a teen.

"I went on the wrong track. I couldn't ask for help. I started
getting in trouble at school."

She cleaned up her act while pregnant with her son at age 17, but
felt desperate to provide for him when he was an infant.

"I was a single mom. Welfare was $750 and my rent was $600. It was a
way I could get quick money and I was right back into it. My big plan
was to save up enough money to get out. Obviously it didn't work," she said.

Her life turned schizophrenic. By day, she was taking her baby on
outings and playing with him at home.

When he went down for the night, she went out to traffic to the
city's addicts and collect drug debts with as much force as necessary.

"It was convenient because I could work my own hours around his
schedule," she said. "In the day, I did the whole mom thing -- I was
at the park with him. I was bringing him swimming -- stuff like that."

The strain of her double life took a toll.

"I was so tired . . . . When I got arrested. I was actually happy
when I came to jail for a bit because it gave me a break and got me
away from everything. It gives me the chance that I can change my
life to something with purpose."

At her trial the Provincial Court judge said Pierini was involved in
an organization known as "The Crew" and "that it was involved in the
sale and distribution of crack cocaine." He also said "such an
organization does exist as a criminal organization as defined in the
Criminal Code under s. 467.1(1) and that Ms. Pierini is a member of it."

That is the only part of her criminal life that Pierini does not accept.

In her mind, The Crew doesn't even exist, but came out of creative
thinking on the part of the police and Prince George drug users.

After 10 months in maximum security, Pierini, who has her Grade 12,
is now focused on getting courses in jail that will help with her
rehabilitation. She wants to become a carpenter or landscaper.

She is adamant she has left the criminal world behind.

"I am sick of it. I am over it. Once people actually hit rock bottom,
they change. And I think I have. All this time away from my son is
killing me. It is so hard."